Description: Detroit Red Wings forward Mikael Samuelsson (pectoral) is questionable for Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals Saturday against Chicago.
Insight: He has a goal and an assist in five first-round playoff games. Samuelsson played only four games during the regular season, but in the past has been a solid fantasy winger who once scored 30 goals for Vancouver.
Description: Rangers defenseman Mark Staal is questionable for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Saturday against the Bruins with blurred vision.
Insight: His vision has been improving, but it's still unlikely that he gets on the ice for Saturday's game. He scored two goals and 11 points in 21 regular season games, but hasn't seen the ice since Game 1 of the series with Washington.
Description: New York right wing Ryane Clowe is doubtful for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Saturday against the Boston Bruins with a concussion.
Insight: During the regular season he posted 19 points in 40 games and added 93 penalty minutes. He hasn't played since Game 2 of the previous series with Washington.
Description: Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg is questionable for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Saturday against the New York Rangers with a left leg/knee injury. He'll be a game-time decision.
Insight: He had four goals, 13 assists and a plus 18 rating during the regular season, but just one assist and a zero plus/minus in the seven-game series against Toronto. He's yet to play in the series with the Rangers.
Description: Boston defenseman Wade Redden is questionable for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Saturday against the New York Rangers with an undisclosed injury, according to a Boston herald report.
Insight: He's been practicing with the team and should be close to returning. Redden managed three goals and four assists over 29 games, so doesn't have much fantasy value.
Description: Boston defenseman Andrew Ference is doubtful for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Tuesday against the New York Rangers with a lower body injury
Insight: Ference worked off the ice on Wednesday, but hasn't begun to skate. He scored just 13 points in 48 games of the regular season, but had a plus nine rating.
Description: Penguins goaltender Tomas Vokoun has allowed 14 goals in 455 minutes since taking over as the starting netminder for Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 5 of the team's first-round series against the Islanders.
Insight: Vokoun saved 29 of 31 shots Friday to close out the Senators in five games. He has a .941 SV% in these playoffs.
Description: Senators goalie Craig Anderson, who led the NHL in GAA and SV% during the regular season, allowed 20 goals in just five games against the Penguins in Ottawa's second-round loss.
Insight: Anderson allowed just 40 goals in 24 games during the regular season and nine goals in five games during Ottawa's first-round win over Montreal, but he could not contain the explosive Penguins.
Description: New York center Brad Richards will be a healthy scratch for Thursday night's Game 4 against Boston. SOURCE: New York Times
Insight: Richards has seen his role diminshed this postseason and now it looks like he doesn't even have a role. This is pretty puzzling, especially considering how well Richards performed during the regular season (11 goals, 23 assists, +8).
Description: Wednesday wasn't a great day at the office for Senators goalie Craig Anderson. Head coach Paul MacLean pulled Anderson in the third period after he allowed six goals on 38 shots.
Insight: It was actually a close game heading into the third but that's when the Penguins really began to wreak havoc with four goals over an eight minute span. Despite his struggles, we'd expect Anderson to be in net again for Friday night's Game 5 in Pittsburgh.
Description: Penguins blue liner Kris Letang was feeling generous Wednesday in Ottawa. He led the team with four assists in 26 and a half minutes of ice time.
Insight: That's been Letang's MO all season. He leads all NHL skaters with 11 assists this postseason.
Description: Pittsburgh left wing James Neal peppered the Senators with nine shots on goal Wednesday in Game 4.
Insight: Neal finished with two goals and one assist as the Penguins won 7-3. Pittsburgh can close out Ottawa Friday night at the CONSOL Energy Center.
Description: Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard had 39 saves Monday in a Game 3 win over Chicago.
Insight: He's stopped 96 out of the 101 shots he's faced in the series (.950 save percentage). The Red Wings hold a 2-1 series lead with Game 4 coming up Thursday in Detroit.
Description: Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist acknowledged that he's been dealing with a shoulder injury but says that he has it "under control." SOURCE: The Bergen Record
Insight: Lundqvist was dominant versus the Capitals in round one but so far he's struggled against the Bruins (eight goals allowed in two games). He'll look to turn things around Tuesday in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. Lundqvist is undefeated at home this postseason (3-0).
Description: Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg is questionable for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Tuesday against the New York Rangers with a left leg/knee injury.
Insight: Seidenberg has missed the past two games. He had four goals, 13 assists and a plus 18 rating during the regular season, but just one assist and a zero plus/minus in the seven game series against Toronto.
Description: Boston defenseman Andrew Ference is doubtful for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Tuesday against the New York Rangers with a lower body injury
Insight: Ference played four scoreless games in the first round, but hasn't played in the series against the Rangers. He scored just 13 points in 48 games of the regular season, but had a plus nine rating.
Description: Detroit Red Wings forward Mikael Samuelsson (pectoral) is questionable for Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals Saturday against Chicago.
Insight: Samuelsson played only four games during the regular season, but in the past has been a solid fantasy winger who once scored 30 goals for Vancouver. He has a goal and an assist in five first-round playoff games.
Description: Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson was stellar against the Penguins in Game 3, stopping 49 of 50 shots over 87-plus minutes.
Insight: Anderson gave up three goals on 21 shots in Game 2 and was replaced just 21 minutes into the game, so this effort is a massive improvement. He'll need to continue to play at this level if the Senators are to win and advance.
Description: Penguins goaltender Tomas Vokoun stopped 46 of 48 shots in a double overtime loss to Ottawa.
Insight: It was Vokoun's first loss after four playoff wins, but it will be interesting to see if the team goes back to Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury has struggled in the playoffs, going 2-2 with a 3.40 GAA and .891 save percentage, but does have 45 playoff wins on his resume and a Stanley Cup title.
Description: Bruins center Patrice Bergeron dished out two assists Sunday in a Game 2 win over New York.
Insight: Bergeron has now produced at least one point in each of his last three games. The win gives Boston a 2-0 edge in the series with Game 3 scheduled for Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Description: Bruins defenseman Torey Krug scored his second goal of the playoffs Sunday against New York.
Insight: Both goals have come in this series. Krug has been filling in for Andrew Ference, who has missed three games in a row with a lower body injury.
Description: Ottawa center Jason Spezza will return to action in Game 3 against the Penguins Sunday, according to Scott Burnside of ESPN.com.
Insight: Spezza has missed all but five games this season due to a back injury that required surgery. Ottawa coach Paul MacLean doesn't have a set plan for Spezza's minutes, but he expects him to play a big role on the power play.
Description: Detroit Red Wings forward Mikael Samuelsson (upper body) is questionable for Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals Saturday against Chicago.
Insight: Samuelsson played only four games during the regular season, but in the past has been a solid fantasy winger who once scored 30 goals for Vancouver. He has a goal and an assist in five playoff games.
Description: Chicago center Michal Handzus is questionable for Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals Saturday against Detroit with a strained back.
Insight: Handzus played in Game 1, but missed Game 2 and the last three practices. He scored just eight points in 39 regular season games. We're not expecting him to be much of a factor after adding just two assists in the first round series with Minnesota.
Description: Ottawa center Jason Spezza could be back in the lineup Sunday for Game 3 against the Penguins. He's been out since January because of a back injury. SOURCE: Ottawa Sun
Insight: Obviously Spezza's return would be a huge lift for the Senators. The 29-year-old has scored 17 goals in 53 postseason appearances.
Description: Alex Ovechkin played the final two games of Washington's series against New York with a broken left foot. SOURCE: Stephen Whyno, Washington Times
Insight: Ovechkin had a tough series and the foot problem may have had something to do with that. We'd expect Ovechkin to be a top-five pick in all fantasy formats next season.
Description: Toronto defenseman Cody Franson notched two goals Monday in a Game 7 loss to Boston.
Insight: What a crushing defeat for the Maple Leafs, who were ahead 4-1 with just over 11 minutes to play. For what it's worth, Franson had an excellent series (three goals, three assists, 15 shots on goal).
Description: Patrice Bergeron became a Boston sports legend on Monday night. The Bruins center forced overtime by scoring with 51 seconds left in regulation and then finished the job with a game-winner six minutes into OT.
Insight: The Bruins became the first team to come back from three goals down in the third period of a Game 7. Bergeron led Boston with six shots on net in just under 21 minutes of ice time. The Bruins will take on the sixth-seeded Rangers in round two.
Description: Penguins blueliner Paul Martin forced overtime with a goal late in the third period.
Insight: He also assisted on Jarome Iginla's goal in the first. Martin led all Pittsburgh skaters with 30 minutes of ice time on Saturday. The Penguins will play the winner of the Boston/Toronto series in the next round.
Description: Wild goalie Josh Harding will start Game 5 against the Blackhawks Thursday night.
Insight: Harding suffered a lower-body injury on a collision with Jonathan Toews in Game 4 and had to leave the game. He's playing due to the lower-body injury suffered by Niklas Backstrom during pre-game warmups for Game 1, so the Wild had to turn to third-string netminder Darcy Kuemper Tuesday. Minnesota trailed the series 3-1.
Description: Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne underwent hip surgery recently and will need four months to recover. SOURCE: The Tennessean
Insight: He's expected to be 100 percent for training camp, however. Rinne, one of the NHL's top workhorses, had an inconsistent season in which he went 15-16-8 with a 2.43 GAA and a .910 SV%. He tied for the NHL lead with five shutouts.
Description: Caps left wing Martin Erat left Wednesday night's game against New York after hurting his arm in the first period. SOURCE: NHL.com
Insight: The Rangers have held Erat to just three shots on goal in the series. He'll have one day to heal up before Friday night's Game 5 in Washington.
Description: Kings center Jeff Carter found the net twice Wednesday in a win over St. Louis.
Insight: Carter has now scored in back-to-back games after being held scoreless in the first three games of the series. The defending champs hold a 3-2 edge in the series with Game 6 coming up Friday night in Los Angeles.
Description: Bruins center David Krejci knocked home the game-winning goal in overtime Wednesday against the Maple Leafs.
Insight: Krejci is having a monster series. With three goals Wednesday, he now has five in his last four games to go along with five assists and a spectacular +7 rating. He's been the MVP of the playoffs so far.
Description: Carl Hagelin led the Rangers to victory with a goal and two assists Wednesday against Washington.
Insight: Hagelin was quiet in Games 2 and 3 (zero points, one shot on goal, -1) but he made up for it by having a spectacular Game 4. The series is tied 2-2.
Description: Canadiens winger Brian Gionta will miss the rest of the playoffs with a torn left biceps that will require surgery, according to Canadiens.nhl.com.
Insight: Gionta actually played with the injury in Games 1 and 3. Montreal is down 3-1 to Ottawa going into Game 5 Thursday.
Description: The Penguins will start Tomas Vokoun in net on Thursday in Game 5 against the Islanders.
Insight: He can't do any worse than Marc-Andre Fleury has done over the last three games. After shutting out New York in Game 1, Fleury has allowed 14 goals over the last three, including six in Game 4 Tuesday night.
Description: Washington Capitals winger Brooks Laich is doubtful for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Wednesday against the NY Rangers.
Insight: Laich put up 41 points last season (16 G, 25 A), but injured only allowed him to play nine games and score four points. He hasn't been on the ice since April 4.
Description: New York right wing Ryane Clowe is doubtful for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Wednesday against Washington.
Insight: He's been battling a head injury for the last week and a half. During the regular season he posted 19 points in 40 games and added 93 penalty minutes.
Description: Ducks blueliner Toni Lydman is doubtful for Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals Wednesday against Detroit with migraine and neck soreness.
Insight: Lydman was the victim of a brutal hit by Detroit winger Justin Abdelkader. He doesn't provide much for fantasy owners so this shouldn't change any lineups.
Description: Wild goalie Josh Harding had to leave Game 3 Tuesday against the Blackhawks after colliding with Jonathan Toews.
Insight: Harding has an undisclosed injury. He already was playing in place of Niklas Backstrom, who suffered a lower-body injury during pre-game warmups for Game 1. The Wild had to turn to Darcy Kuemper, a rookie who just celebrated his 23rd birthday two days ago.
Description: Canadiens goalie Carey Price did not come out for overtime in Game 4 against the Senators Tuesday night due to an undisclosed injury.
Insight: Price made 30, but he allowed a game-tying goal to Cory Conacher at 19:37 in the third period, and Peter Budaj let in the game-winner at 2:32 in overtime as the Sens stole one to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
Description: Penguins left wing James Neal (lower body) took part in pre-game warmups for Game 4 against the New York Islanders, according to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun.
Insight: Neal left Game 1 with a lower-body injury. He has played just one full game since suffering a concussion on April 5, but it looks like he's going to play Tuesday.
Description: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that rookie right wing Vladimir Tarasenko will participate in Monday night's Game 4 in Los Angeles.
Insight: Tarasenko got off to a hot start in 2013 but struggled after suffering a concussion halfway through the season. He was a healthy scratch in Games 1-3.
Description: Rangers right wing Ryane Clowe is questionable for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Monday against Washington with a head injury.
Insight: He skated in Friday practice, but wore a no-contact jersey which indicates he's not likely ready to play in a game. He scored 19 points and added 93 penalty minutes to become a useful fantasy option.
Description: Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference missed Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Saturday against Toronto due to a suspension, but should return for Monday night's game.
Insight: Ference had four goals and nine assists in 48 regular season games and isn't proving to have much fantasy value.
Description: Ducks blueliner Toni Lydman is doubtful for Monday's game with migraine and neck soreness.
Insight: Lydman was the victim of a brutal hit by Detroit winger Justin Abdelkader and had to come out of the game in the second period. He doesn't provide much for fantasy owners so this shouldn't change any lineups.
Description: Red Wings left wing Justin Abdelkader has been handed a two-game suspension for his hit on Anaheim forward Toni Lydman Saturday night in Game 3. SOURCE: Ansar Khan, MLive.com
Insight: The Ducks have a chance to eliminate Detroit in Game 5 so it's possible that Abdelkader has played his final game of the season. Danny Cleary is expected to replace Abdelkader on the first line Monday in Game 4.
Description: Ducks blueliner Toni Lydman may have suffered a concussion Saturday night against the Red Wings. SOURCE: Orange County Register
Insight: Lydman was the victim of a brutal hit by Detroit winger Justin Abdelkader and had to come out of the game in the second period. It's uncerain if he'll be able to compete in Monday night's Game 4.
Description: Canucks goalie Cory Schneider (undisclosed injury) will return to the crease to start Game 3 against the Sharks Sunday. SOURCE: Farhan Lalji, TSN
Insight: Schneider didn't start the final two games of the regular season or the first two playoff games, but he said prior to the series that he was healthy. Vancouver is down 2-0 to San Jose.
Description: Chris Kunitz's power play goal 11 minutes into overtime gave the Penguins a 5-4 win over the Islanders Sunday in Game 3.
Insight: Kunitz was the best player on the ice, finishing the game with two goals and one assist. Pittsburgh leads the series two games to one. Game 4 is on Tuesday.
Description: Montreal left wing Max Pacioretty (upper body) and Brian Gionta (upper body) will be game-time decisions for Game 3 Sunday against Ottawa.
Insight: Montreal beat Ottawa 3-1 in Game 2 to knot the series at one game apiece despite not having Pacioretty or Gionta.
Description: Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick rescued Los Angeles with a shutout of St. Louis in Game 3 Saturday.
Insight: Quick lost 2-1 in each of the first two games of the series, but he was able to seal the deal Sunday and avoid going down 3-0. He has a 1.25 GAA and a .959 SV% in the series.
Description: Boston center Tyler Seguin doesn't have a point in the first two playoff games against Toronto, but he has attempted 15 SOG and racked up six hits.
Insight: Seguin had 16 goals and 32 points with 161 SOG in 48 games during the regular season, and it's only a matter of time before he gets on the scoresheet in this series.
Description: After not playing in the Bruins' final five games of the regular season, winger Nathan Horton has a goal in each of Boston's first two playoff games against Toronto, including the game-winner in Game 1.
Insight: Horton had an upper-body injury at the end of the season, but the layoff evidently was good for him. He had 13 goals and 114 SOG in 43 games in the regular season.
Description: Toronto goalie James Reimer has been under fire often in the Maple Leafs' first-round series against Boston. He has made 75 saves on 81 shots in two games.
Insight: Reimer, who went 19-8-5 with a 2.46 GAA, a .924 SV% and four shutouts in the regular season, helped Toronto tie the series with a 4-2 win Saturday night.
Description: Anaheim center Ryan Getzlaf has two goals and four points over three games in the Ducks' first-round playoff series against Detroit.
Insight: Getzlaf finished the season with an impressive 49 points in 44 games, and he has continued that type of production in the postseason to help Anaheim take a 2-1 lead.
Description: Ducks netminder Jonas Hiller quieted the calls for Viktor Fasth with a shutout of Detroit in Game 3 Saturday night.
Insight: Hiller allowed five goals on 32 SOG in Game 2, but he has a 1.99 GAA and a .922 SV% overall in the Ducks' first-round series. Anaheim leads 2-1.
Description: Capitals defenseman Mike Green scored the game-winning goal Saturday in Game 2 against the Rangers with 12 minutes remaining in the first overtime.
Insight: Green actually led all blueliners with 12 goals this season and had 26 points in 35 games. His tally Saturday was the only goal of the game for either team.
Description: Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist has been outdueled by Braden Holtby in New York's first-round series against the Capitals.
Insight: Lundqvist dropped Game 2 in overtime despite making 37 saves on 38 shots. The series will shift back to New York, but unless the Rangers find their offense it won't matter where the games are played.
Description: Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby is 2-0 with a 0.47 GAA in 128 minutes in two games against the Rangers this series.
Insight: Holtby shut out New York in 68 minutes Saturday afternoon to put the Capitals up 2-0 in the first-round series. He won 23 games with a 2.58 GAA and a .920 SV% during the regular season and was tremendous during the playoffs last season as well.
Description: Ducks defenseman Sheldon Souray will be a healthy scratch in Game 3 against the Red Wings, according to beat writer Eric Stephens.
Insight: Souray said that he is healthy and said that the change in "unexpected." "I'm a little surprised," he said. "But at this time of the year, it’s all about winning. Whatever we have to do to win, we’re on board with." Souray took two minor penalties that led to power-play goals for Detroit at the start of the third period and overtime in Game 2.
Description: Penguins left wing Jussi Jokinen was moved to the fourth line due to the return of Sidney Crosby in Game 2.
Insight: Jokinen filled in admirably for Crosby, producing seven goals and 11 points in 10 games after coming over to Pittsburgh from Carolina. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the switch does not reflect any unhappiness on the part of Dan Bylsma with Jokinen's performance, but rather is a testimony to Jokinen's versatility. "When and if you play a reduced amount of minutes, you're not as in the game as much, you're not on the ice as much," Bylsma said. "You have to be mentally prepared for those situations, and I think Jussi's actually done already that for us."
Description: Toronto backup goaltender Ben Scrivens is questionable for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Saturday against Boston while attending his grandfather's funeral.
Insight: Scrivens posted a 7-9-0 record with a solid 2.69 GAA and a .915 SV% this season as backup to James Reimer.
Description: Maple Leafs defenseman Mike Kostka will miss Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Saturday against Boston with a broken right index finger.
Insight: Kostka doesn't give fantasy owners much offense (eight points in 35 games) and a negative rating makes him a bench player at best.
